The Fresno County Superior Court bench is now at full strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started dating my now-wife. She lived down here, and at some point I moved to Fresno. So here I am, and it\u2019s the best thing that\u2019s happened to me in more ways than one.\u201d \u2014 David Chiappetta, new Fresno County Superior Court judge <\/p>\n
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Fresno attorney David P. Chiappetta to fill the court\u2019s final judicial vacancy.<\/p>\n
Chiappetta, a 59-year-old Democrat, has more than 30 years of experience in private practice. He is a partner at Perkins Coie<\/a>, specializing in complex commercial disputes and antitrust law. Although his office is listed in San Francisco, Chiappetta has telecommuted from Fresno, where he has lived for the past seven years.<\/p>\n \u201cAny kind of news like this takes you back, just by virtue of the fact that it\u2019s such a great opportunity,\u201d Chiappetta told GV Wire.<\/p>\n Chiappetta received a call from the governor\u2019s office last Friday, but he had to wait until Monday night before telling anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t even tell my kids,\u201d Chiappetta said.<\/p>\n A Judge With Empathy<\/p>\n Chiappetta applied with the governor\u2019s office to become a judge two years ago. He said empathy is a key attribute.<\/p>\n \u201cEmpathy helps in trying to figure out who is telling the truth when there is a factual dispute, but also in determining what the best result is so that we reach a just outcome. I think it\u2019s critical to really have an understanding of the parties,\u201d Chiappetta said.<\/p>\n Chiappetta also won praise from a future colleague.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are delighted to have someone of Mr. Chiappetta\u2019s caliber joining our bench,\u201d Fresno County Superior Court Presiding Judge Jeffrey Hamilton said.<\/p>\n A Varied Background<\/p>\n Asked about his hometown, Chiappetta hesitated, calling it a \u201ctricky question.\u201d<\/p>\n Chiappetta was born in the Bronx, New York, graduated high school in Boulder, Colorado, and attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.<\/p>\n He has lived on four continents and in all four U.S. continental time zones.<\/p>\n After serving in the Navy, Chiappetta earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Washington and worked at several law firms.<\/p>\n That included working in Australia for four years, where he represented the Australian government in antitrust cases.<\/p>\n A \u201cgirl\u201d brought him to Fresno.<\/p>\n \u201cI started dating my now-wife. She lived down here, and at some point I moved to Fresno. So here I am, and it\u2019s the best thing that\u2019s happened to me in more ways than one,\u201d Chiappetta said.<\/p>\n Perkins Coie has been at odds with the Trump administration over its involvement with Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, its association with George Soros, and its hiring practices, among other grievances<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chiappetta said he has no involvement with the firm\u2019s political work.<\/p>\n You can view Newsom\u2019s other judicial appointments made Monday at this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bench at Full Strength<\/p>\n With the appointment, all 47 judicial positions are filled. Chiappetta will assume the seat vacated by Arlan Harrell, who was appointed by Newsom last year to the 5th District Court of Appeal.<\/p>\n Chiappetta will be up for election in 2028.<\/p>\n Newsom has appointed 18 of the court\u2019s 47 judges. The governor has the right to appoint vacancies to the court caused usually by retirement or promotion. If a vacancy happens during the window to file for election, voters make the choice.<\/p>\n